Tech Experts Explain How to Clean Your Laptop (Without Ruining It!)
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If you look closely at your laptop right now, there’s a good chance it’s not living its best tech life. It might have screen smudges, scratches, crumbs, and questionable debris between the keys. To prevent the grime and buildup from potentially damaging your hardware, you'll want to know how to clean your laptop.
While dusty screens and greasy keys are certainly eyesores, they can also make your laptop a hotbed for germs. When laptops heat up, they expedite microbial growth, according to the MedCrave Online Journal of Public Health. This transforms your seemingly passive gadget into a pathogenic one.
“Adopting simple measures like frequently swiping the keyboard with cleaning wipes and avoiding meals while working on your laptop will go a long way toward its performance and longevity,” says George Otte, the owner of Geeks on Site.
Here's what the tech professionals say about how to clean your laptop, including everything from the exterior to the screen and those easy-to-forget parts in between.
Supplies for Cleaning Your Laptop
First things first, you'll want to gather the right products to clean your laptop — try to keep them in an easy-to-remember spot where you can grab them whenever you need.
“As a tech junkie, I keep a cleaning station with supplies stocked and readily available,” says Bobby Lawson, the technology editor at EarthWeb. He says his go-to cleaning materials include the following:
Microfiber cloths
A can of compressed air with the straw attachment
Distilled water
Isopropyl alcohol
Cotton swabs
Once you have your supplies ready, take a minute to safeguard your stuff.
“Before doing any cleaning, make sure your computer is powered off and unplugged from an external power source,” advises Otte. This prevents electrical accidents and protects sensitive components. If possible, remove the battery for an extra level of safety. And never spray or pour liquids directly onto your laptop — excess moisture can seep inside and damage internal components.
How to Clean All the Parts of Your Laptop
Each part of your laptop requires a slightly different cleaning regimen to get rid of grime and keep things sanitary.
For most users, a thorough laptop cleaning every 2-4 weeks should suffice. However, if you work in a dusty environment, travel frequently, or often dine a la laptop, you should follow these steps every week.
Laptop Exterior
Before getting into the nitty-gritty of each component, it's a good idea to give your laptop's exterior a quick wipe-down.
“For an initial cleaning of the screen, outer case, and tops of the keys, you can use a clean microfiber cloth slightly dampened with purified or distilled water,” suggests Otte. “Tap water often contains minerals that can scratch,” he says. It’s best to use a spray bottle to dampen the microfiber cloth.
“Alternatively, an antibacterial cleaning wipe can both clean and disinfect,” says Logan Braun, sales manager at OfficeMax in San Jose, CA. Avoid using abrasive cloths or cleaning solutions, as they can scratch delicate surfaces.
Laptop Keyboard
To clean your laptop's keyboard, tilt your laptop upside-down and gently tap it to loosen any particles trapped between the keys.
“Use the compressed air to clean the keyboard by safely holding the laptop upside-down and using short bursts, so any debris blown from between the keys is more likely to fall out than lodge further into the keyboard,” says Otte.
For a deeper clean, lightly dampen a cotton swab with isopropyl alcohol and carefully clean around the keycaps. Avoid soaking the swabs or letting any liquid drip between the keys. Cleaning putty can also be used to remove dust and debris trapped between keys. Simply press the putty onto the key gaps, lift it gently, and dispose of the used putty.
Laptop Screen
“For most customers cleaning their own electronics, I recommend the Whoosh! Spray cleaner and Microfiber Cloth Kit,” says Braun. The set comes with a microfiber cloth, alcohol, and an ammonia-free spray. To use, Braun advises that you dampen the microfiber cloth first, then wipe your laptop screen until all the streaks are gone. Avoid applying excessive pressure, as this can damage the display.
For stubborn fingerprints or smudges, dampen part of your microfiber cloth with distilled water and wring it out thoroughly.
“A good technique is to wipe gently in a circular motion from the center and work your way outward, followed by a dry microfiber cloth to buff it dry,” says Lawson. “Don’t use alcohol or abrasive cloths on the screen itself, as it can erode protective and anti-glare coatings as well as seep underneath the surface,” says Otte.
When using a cleaning solution of any kind, remember to wait until all surfaces are completely dry before powering on your computer again.
Laptop Interior
Unless you're very familiar with the inner workings of your laptop, this component may be one to skip cleaning yourself.
“Consider leaving interior cleaning to experienced professionals,” says Otte. “There are delicate electronics that can be damaged when opening up the case, resulting in expensive repairs.”
Other experts agree that the laptop interior should be left alone or taken to a specialized repair tech for cleaning.
“For anyone who wants to clean the interior of their computer and doesn't feel confident, professionals at our stores and others offer tech services from laptop cleaning to repairs,” says Braun.
Overlooked Laptop Parts
Even if you can't see any debris, you'll want to clean any openings like USB and HDMI ports, headphone jacks, and laptop vents to keep them dust-free.
“Because laptops are compact and have considerably less airflow than a desktop computer, it’s important to keep the vents clear of dust, lint, hair, and anything else that would block the cooling airflow,” says Otte.
Luckily, you can use compressed air to blast away the buildup.
“Blow the visible dust and particles away, making sure to keep the can upright to avoid spraying the propellant onto sensitive components, which can destroy them,” says Braun.
Lastly, if removable, wipe the battery compartment with a dry microfiber cloth to remove dust and debris.
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